Looking for a Major?

How do you make a major or career choice when you don’t really know what you want to do? Before you spend time and money in choosing a major and training for a career, you must have a clear picture of what you want to do, what you can do, and where you want to do it. Define your goals clearly. Good educational and career planning is essential. Remember, it’s not just a degree; it’s a step in your career.

A Good Match

Time and time again, career counselors report that one of the most common problems job seekers run into is that they don’t consider whether they’re suited for a particular position or career. Keep in mind that, on a daily basis, you’ll spend more time on your job than you spend doing anything else. It’s important to know that you’ll enjoy the work. If you are thinking about becoming an elementary school teacher, be sure you enjoy spending a great deal of time with children. If you want to be an accountant, ask yourself if you’re meticulous and if you like detail-oriented work.

Career planning professionals have learned that money does not equal job satisfaction. A person who is not doing work he enjoys will not have job satisfaction even if he is earning a lot of money. That does not mean compensation isn’t important. You should earn enough money to have the lifestyle you want, but you should also look for a job that is fulfilling.

A Job and a Lifestyle

When you choose a career, you are also choosing a lifestyle. If you decide, for example, that you want to be a management consultant for an international firm, it is likely you’ll be spending a great deal of time in an airplane. You’d better like to fly! You also will have to think about where you will have to work. Some jobs exist primarily in certain areas. Do you want a career that would require you to live in a large city? Or would you rather live in a less populated, rural area? Compensation is another important factor you must consider. Do you feel it is more important to make a lot of money or to be fulfilled by your work? What will your work schedule be? If you want to have a flexible work schedule, you will have to choose a job that allows for one. Are you willing to work the long hours that are common in certain fields? Think about how fast you want to advance. Some careers offer a much greater chance than others to advance quickly. In other fields, the opportunities for advancement are virtually nonexistent, depending on the company.

Self-Assessment

Before you can make a career choice, you have to learn about yourself. Your values, interests and skills, in combination with certain personality traits, will make some careers especially suitable for you and some particularly inappropriate. A self-assessment looks at your interests, values, skills, and personality. You can use self-assessment tools, often called career tests, to gather more information and, subsequently, to generate a list of occupations that are deemed appropriate. Some people choose to have career counselors or other career development professionals administer these tests but many opt to use free career tests that are available on the Web. Sacramento City College’s Career Center (in the Counseling office) offers career assessment and career exploration workshops.